What is driving learning transformation at the CIPD?
I’m expecting to see more change in the next two years than we’ve seen in the last 10, and I think there are two main reasons for that: an external need and internal strategy. Externally, we’re having to work harder than ever before for people’s attention. We’re in a noisy, competitive space and have to prove our value clearly and consistently.
Internally, we believe better integration will help us achieve this consistency. We’re building an ecosystem where every touchpoint—be that learning, membership or content, for example—reinforces the others and creates a seamless experience for our members.
Our learning offering is central to this, and we’re embedding it into the flow of everything we do. Learning not only increases member engagement, but it also elevates the credentials of our members and raises overall standards across the HR profession—which is essentially our purpose.
How is your learning delivery adapting to meet the expectations of modern learners?
We’re embracing shorter, bite-sized content and resources that align with our members’ real-world career moments. This goes much further than having the right technical HR skills. We’re supporting people through personal milestones—everything from changing jobs to preparing for their first board meeting. This is about learning that can very quickly be applied.
In the past, we’ve been good at recommending what someone should do but less good at explaining how they should do it. So we’re reviewing all our content to make sure it has that practical element to it, so our members have everything they need to learn and can apply that learning end to end.
We’re also rethinking how we categorise and deliver learning. Previously, we had separate platforms—a development hub, learning hub and knowledge hub—that were unnecessarily complex. We’re integrating those into a single experience, removing friction and making it easier for users to access the right content at the right time. Ultimately, we’re aiming to meet people where their needs are.
What kind of impact are you seeing, and how are you measuring it?
The most important metric for us is uptake and completion because we want to see more people engaging with our learning. We ask members whether a practice or process within their organisation has changed because of their CIPD membership—because that’s the ultimate measure of impact.
We’re also getting better at letting our members guide our content so that we’re investing time and money in the right places.
From a commercial perspective, learning is beginning to outperform other areas because it appeals to a wider audience and can be scaled through our corporate membership programmes. The more people use it and see value, the more likely they are to stay, upgrade their membership level, or advocate for us.
Why have you chosen to offer corporate membership options?
Historically, we’ve focused on individuals and currently have around 165,000 members. But we’re seeing huge opportunities to increase membership numbers by working with organisations. Through our group affiliate model, an HR leader at a company can give their entire team access to our learning and content.
This helps build engagement with the CIPD and our resources, as well as opening up commercial opportunities. It’s more efficient to convince one decision-maker to support a team than to market to thousands of individuals. We think this could add 5,000+ new users in one year, which would represent the equivalent of several years of traditional member growth. The key then is to build deeper engagement with the individuals who join us through affiliate membership—whether that’s through upgrading or accessing additional learning.
What does that conversion journey look like?
We’re introducing more intelligent prompts and triggers. For example, if someone completes a course, we can suggest the route they take next or offer a discount on their next learning opportunity. Over time we’ll add more sophistication and personalisation—tailoring recommendations around individual career paths.
We’re trying to think holistically. If someone renews their membership, we should be ready to offer a learning plan for the year ahead. Similarly, if a member finishes a course, we need to demonstrate how they can apply that knowledge within their roles.
How do you see learning contributing to the CIPD’s overall purpose?
To fulfil our purpose as an association, we need to:
- champion professionalism, consistently making the case for the profession and the value of the work it does
- encourage day-to-day excellence, so we can help members flourish in their roles
- be a career partner, helping members excel over time, access more opportunities and receive recognition for the progress they’re making
Learning is key to this. Not only will it ensure we are more commercially sustainable, but it also makes us indispensable to our members—delivering value that is clear, accessible and impactful.
To find out more about how earning through learning can help futureproof your association, get in touch or download our whitepaper.
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